beggars

I go buy food for them and then when I give it I tell them to take care of themselves. If I can't buy food, I'll give them a few dollars and tell them the same thing. They're always shocked when I tell them to take care of themselves. Like it was an idea they never thought of before. Hopefully these words will land on some and they will make a change for the better.

Dusty

Hi Andronicus,

In the past I have noticed that walking past so called ‘beggars’ and not helping did make me feel guilty in a subtle way and I would always try to justify my decision. On the other hand each time when I have given them some money I felt positive and happy.

It does not only concern people asking for money, but overall all situations when people, both strangers and friends, asked me for help.

I think we should help when we can do so, but if giving money goes against your gut feeling, do not do it.

(…)His disciples asked him and said to him, "Do you want us to fast? How should we pray? Should we give to charity? What diet should we observe?"
Jesus said, "Don't lie, and don't do what you hate, because all things are disclosed before heaven. After all, there is nothing hidden that will not be revealed, and there is nothing covered up that will remain undisclosed." (…) [Gospel of Thomas]

May the Force be with you.

Hi Andy,

There is a similar topic on the Open Course, you can check it here if you have access to that course area:
http://www.gnosticweb.com/node/17632

From my observations in the place where I live, begging has turned more or less into a profession, with all its rules, tricks and strategies. I've also asked myself whether giving money to them does harm or helps, and it seems my mind cannot find an answer, it is almost like a koan! So, I've decided I will try to trust my intuition on this.

I think if you want to help someone a good way to do it is to follow what Dusty mentioned, also this way, as mentioned by a person from the topic on the Open Course, you can find out if the person just wanted money for drugs/alcohol or they are really in need.

that's all I can come up with in this late late hour :)

good luck!

I think each situation is different. That's why it's really important to develop spiritual faculties, like intuition, so we know how to act in the moment. Some people might need some help, someone else might use that money to go buy drugs. I find it better if someone is hungry and you can buy them something to eat then to do that, at least you know there's not much evil can be done with a granola bar or something. Like Samael says in Revolutionary Psychology:

"We should remember that in pure Esotericism, good is everything which is in its place, and bad is everything which is out of place.

"Water in its place is good, but if it floods the house it is out of place; it would cause damage, and would be bad and harmful.

"Fire in the stove, in its place, besides being useful is good; out of place, burning the furniture in the sitting room, it would be bad and harmful.

"Any virtue, however holy it may be, is good in its place, but out of place it is bad and harmful. We can harm others with virtues. It is essential to put virtues in their corresponding place.

"What would you say of a Priest who was preaching the word of the Lord in a brothel? What would you say of a mild and tolerant man who blesses a gang of attackers trying to rape his wife and daughters? What would you say of this kind of tolerance taken to excess? What would you say of the charitable attitude of a man who, instead of taking food to his home, shares his money amongst mendicants of vice? What would be your opinion of a helpful man who, at a given time, lends a dagger to a murderer?"

Begging is illegal here, so all we have are people sitting in the streets trying to look needy and down-trodden. My mother is a police officer, and she points out all the fake beggars to me (which is 100% of them, since even the homeless have homes here).

You could try offering to buy them some food, and see what they say. Some of them may say no - if it's not money they can use for drugs and/or alcohol they don't want your help. It's no good giving people money if it's just going to help them sustain a harmful addiction.

We don't really have beggars here so it's not a situation I've had to deal with much, but I wouldn't be comfortable giving them money that might be spent on the exact opposite of what they need.

On the other hand, buying someone a meal might be just what they need to make an otherwise painful day a little more bearable by taking their hunger away for a little while...

Liz

Hi Everyone,

Pretty tricky subject I think as it is very hard to tell the genuine people who need real help as to the people who are just taking advantage of you.

I agree that the only real way to tell is to use your intuition which has been mentioned as I don't want to help people to feed their addictions or psychological states which keep them in the situation that they are in.

Maybe we should hand them a course flyer instead, saying if you really want help this is the place to go. It would be interesting to see what the reaction to that would be.

Steve

Hi Andronicus,

When someone comes to us and asks for money, it's a human being which needs something, as well as all of us need something...

Everyone can be in that place....you never really know.
Everyone has their place in this picture of life.

For me every time it depends from my psychological state and situation.

Recently I was asked for 25 cents and I answered mechanically: "Sorry, man, I don't have it". I could feel a bit of his sadness and just a bit later I realized that 25 cents is exactly what I have in my pocket...I gave it to him and somehow could feel his hope and I felt really good inside (like it was a right thing to do).

Another case was, a man told me a sad story about looking for some money to buy a ticket to his small city.
I talked with him for about 10 minutes asking him all kind of questions...then it really seemed to me that he is honest. So I gave him some money.

Amother situation was, I had to rent a car and while I was inside, a beggar hit the back of it with his sack or somehting. I jumped out of a car and told him as nicely as I could not to do ever things like that.
He was talking back, etc.,..and I could feel his total disrespect to property of others.

Yes, I also give them food sometimes, etc.

Intuition certainly helps to see what is the best thing to do.
A question to ask yourself can be: does he or she deserves this money here and now more than using it later to help yourself, your family, other people spiritually?

I think it depends on the situation as well.
When some years ago working in Zambia, the government there put big billboards warning not to give money to beggars, cause there were at the time special programs for these people.
But beggars could make better money on the streets.

It seems in the world today the problem is growing as the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer.

I guess following your heart with some common sense.

Peter

.."Do you think it is a good idea to always give them money if you have it?"....

Not in Chicago or Milwaukee... you'll proabably get stabbed.

Try this: Ask them why they have no money. Usually they get mad about it.

I've had people throw the change back at me because it wasn't enough.

" - give to everyone who asks of you."

Sometimes we end up doing more harm than good with people, so you have to know how and what to give and in the right way, just like they way the divine helps us if we are working hard at something.